A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to make it a felony For a person, for remuneration, to assist another individual to commit suicide and to make it unlawful to manufacture, sell, distribute, or possess in this state a euthanasia device designed to assist an individual to commit suicide.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  Chapter 14 of the General Statutes is amended by adding the following new sections to read:
"§ 14‑17.2.  Assisted suicide.
(a)	Definition. – As used in this section, "suicide" means the intentional and willful termination of one's own life.
(b)	Unlawful to Assist Suicide. – Any person who, for remuneration, intentionally assists another individual to commit suicide is guilty of a Class D felony.
(c)	Withholding or Withdrawing Medical Treatment. – This section does not apply to withholding or withdrawing medical treatment. It is not unlawful to administer, prescribe, or dispense medications or procedures, by or at the direction of a licensed health care professional, for the purpose of alleviating another person's pain or discomfort, even if the medication or procedure may increase the risk of death as long as the medication or procedure is not also intentionally administered, prescribed, or dispensed for the purpose of causing death or the purpose of assisting in causing death for any reason.
"§ 14‑17.3.  Unlawful to manufacture, sell, distribute, or possess euthanasia device.
(a)	Unlawful to manufacture, sell, distribute, or possess euthanasia device. – It is unlawful to manufacture, sell, distribute, or possess within this State any euthanasia device designed to assist an individual to commit suicide. Some examples of euthanasia devices prohibited under this section are the products known as "thanatron," "mercitron," "deliverance machine," and "exit's euthanasia device."
(b)	Penalty. – A violation of this section is punishable as a Class 1 misdemeanor."
SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective December 1, 2015, and applies to offenses committed on or after that date.